Woodbine apprentice Pietro Moran isn’t intimidated by his mount in Saturday’s $1-million King’s Plate. Despite being just 20 years old with only two full years of riding experience, Moran has already established himself as a rising star in Canadian racing.
The young jockey will pilot Mansetti (Collected) in Canada’s most prestigious race, adding to his impressive resume of 30 stakes races this year alone. On Saturday’s card, Moran has secured mounts in four of the six stakes races.
“I definitely have a lot of confidence in him,” said Mansetti’s trainer Kevin Attard. “Pietro worked for us for maybe three years before he took out his license. So I got a chance to know him pretty well. From day one, he’s shown a lot of confidence. He’s very mature for his age and just a very good student of the game.”
The King’s Plate will feature a historic moment as Pietro competes against his father, journeyman rider David Moran, who will ride William T (Frosted). This marks the first father-son competition in the race’s history.
“My dad has been a huge influence on me,” Pietro said. “Just to grow up alongside him, he’s been helping me and guiding me every step of the way and points me in the right direction. He’s never allowed me to put a bad step forward. I’m very lucky to have my dad’s help. We are both competitive. We want to kick each other’s butt every time.”
For Pietro, jockeying was always the dream.
“I probably couldn’t even talk yet to tell everybody I wanted to be a jockey,” he said. “That’s how long I’ve wanted to be a rider. I’ve always loved the horses and loved the game.”
Moran began his professional career in 2023, winning just four races that year. His trajectory changed dramatically in 2024 — entering Friday’s card at Woodbine, he led all jockeys with 65 wins, ahead of Rafael Hernandez and Sahin Civaci who were tied for second with 57 winners each.
His 2023 season showed promise with 62 wins before an injury at Fort Erie on Sept. 10 sidelined him.
“We’ve ridden him a lot and have been successful together,” Attard said. “It’s been a good relationship and he’s a great individual.”
Moran has garnered support from Woodbine’s top trainers. Leading trainer Mark Casse has partnered with him for five winners. In Saturday’s stakes, Moran will ride for Attard, Martin Drexler, and two for Casse — opportunities rarely afforded to apprentice riders.
“I’ve had a lot of good opportunities,” Moran said. “I’m very thankful for all the opportunities I’m getting to not only ride a lot of races but to ride in stakes races. It just goes to show that trainers are are okay with using me. I try to work hard every day and do my best and I’m being rewarded with the opportunity to ride in these big races.”
The young jockey has established four goals for 2024: winning the champion Canadian apprentice title, capturing an Eclipse Award as North America’s top apprentice, finishing as Woodbine’s leading jockey, and winning the King’s Plate. The first three appear within reach.
Saturday’s King’s Plate drew 13 entrants, with Mansetti listed at 10-1 in the morning line. The colt enters off a win in the GIII Marine Stakes and has won two other stakes races.
“The biggest question for him is the mile-and-a-quarter, but he’s got a lot of talent,” Moran said. “He’s the only three times stakes winner in the field and the only graded stakes winner in the race. Once he gets a clean trip and is able to settle, he’ll give it his best to the wire.”
Moran will lose his apprentice allowance on Jan. 6 and hasn’t decided where he’ll ride after the Woodbine meet concludes. Industry insiders believe he could become a top rider in the U.S.
“I would definitely love to ride in the States and try to become one of those big-name riders that go around the country and ride the best horses and ride in Group Is,” he said.
Moran’s trajectory mirrors that of Kazushi Kimura, who dominated Woodbine while an apprentice and won riding titles in 2021, 2022, and 2023 before establishing himself on the Southern California circuit.
“You could tell early on with Pietro that he had the recipe to be very successful,” said Attard. “This is only the beginning of what his future holds.”
